Lou Barletta Accepts Endorsement of Yet Another Right Wing Conservative Group

Republican candidate
for Congress, Lou Barletta accepted the endorsement of and took campaign cash
from a Right Wing Conservative Group, the Eagle Forum - a group known for
espousing radical views such as securing that a woman’s place is in the
home, putting a stop to sexual harassment legislation, and proudly claiming
credit for defeating the Equal Rights Amendment.

“Accepting the
support of a radical right wing group that believes that women's only choice is
to stay at home, raises serious questions about Lou Barletta and his backward
view on how to move our country in the right direction,” said Carrie James,
regional press secretary at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
“Lou Barletta is sending a message to young girls with hopes of becoming doctors
or teachers or stay at home moms that they do not deserve to chose how to live
their lives. Phyllis Schlafly is greeted with protesters everywhere she travels
to preach her extreme views, yet Lou Barletta embraces her support and stuffs
his campaign coffers with her money.”

Background Information on the Eagle Forum, led by
Phyllis Schlafly

The Eagle Forum’s
website cites extreme positions such as their commitment to “constitutional
amendments and federal and state legislation to protect the institution of
marriage and the equally important roles of father and mother” concluding that
they “honor the fulltime homemaker.” They also oppose “federally financed
daycare” calling it a “feminist goal.” [www.eagleforum.com]

Phyllis Schlafly,
the President of the Eagle Forum has been an outspoken opponent of many issues
including: sex education (unless its “abstinence only”), reproductive rights,
AIDS education, sexual harassment legislation, federal support for daycare and
family leave, United States involvement with the United Nations, the
international Chemical Weapons Treaty, affirmative action, bilingual education,
multiculturalism and diversity education, gay and lesbian rights, teaching the
theory of evolution in schools, environmental protection efforts, the dangers of
pornography, and immigration. [People for the American Way,
website]

Schlafly takes
credit for defeating the Equal Rights Amendment, and her anti-feminism efforts
made her a household name in the Equal Rights Amendment battle in the 1970s.
She was responsible for popularizing the misconception that if the ERA was
passed, separate bathrooms for the sexes would be illegal. [People for the American Way,
website]